


Dill's Diner

by lumos_max



Category: All For The Game - Nora Sakavic
Genre: M/M, and obsessing over andrew, andreil go on a proper date, banter and teasing, mention of neil's scars, mentions of past neglect and abuse, overuse of the southern accent, small mentions of baltimore, that they're both acknowledging, trust me this is mainly just neil introspection
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-26
Updated: 2017-07-26
Packaged: 2018-12-07 00:58:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,698
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11612613
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lumos_max/pseuds/lumos_max
Summary: Andrew let go and started towards the diner but Neil remained frozen in place. He wasn’t in the mood right now, to sit at some diner with gossipy strangers gazing at his face; intrusive memories of a time when it was only him and his mother, cheap hair dye, uncomfortable contacts and a stern hand ready to drag him away him at the slightest turn.“Neil.”





	Dill's Diner

**Author's Note:**

> so i wrote this for the tfc secret santa last christmas, went through my old fics tag and realized i never posted it to ao3 and also realized it needed a heavy edit so here it is!! it's sappy and a little bit painful but it's classic andreil being andreil and nosy strangers bein just a bit too much for neil.
> 
> warning: i have no idea if diners are open that early or if they're open 24 hours and i cant be bothered checking but im 99% sure they're open at all strange hours but if it's wrong, lets just pretend it's not.

As Neil watched the night pass by, he stilled his fingers as they twitched towards the window.

Filled with restless energy, he remained silent as Andrew decided not to tell him why they just left Fox Tower at the crack of dawn.

Until now.   
  
Neil wrenched his eyes away from the window and turned to face Andrew. “I could be practicing right now.”   
  
If he looked away for even a second he would have missed Andrew’s hands tightening on the steering wheel.   
  
“You need a break,” Andrew said, tone final.   
  
Not one to keep quiet, Neil opened his mouth to argue back but stopped short at the blank look Andrew cast him before focusing his attention back onto the road. If it wasn’t for his hands still clenched onto the wheel, Neil may have still thought it was just himself that Andrew was talking about.   
  
Neil doesn’t know when reading Andrew became second nature to him. Even the Foxes joked around - after making sure they were at a safe distance of course - teasing how it seemed like Neil was the only one who could speak  _ Andrew, _ as if Andrew didn’t speak English and Neil was his translator. Glancing back at a tensely clutched steering wheel, Neil supposes he doesn’t make it any easier for them.   
  
Settling restlessly in his seat, Neil sighed and closed his eyes, willing his mind quiet but to no avail.

His second year at Palmetto was definitely less eventful than his first year, without Riko constantly on his back and not having to worry about hiding his appearance; it certainly eliminated a few dire stresses. Dan was also in the process of slowly transitioning Neil to take over captaincy of the Foxes once she graduated, which unsurprisingly brought on its fair share of difficulty by the names of Jack and Sheena.

Things with Andrew were good though, really good – or as well as they could be with two people still finding their way around each other.

But -  It was also nearing the first anniversary of Baltimore. The death of Neil’s father, of  _ Nathaniel _ . And recently, Neil felt stuck replaying the same horrific memories over and over again, forcing his body to stay with  _ I’m alive, he’s dead, I’m safe, I’m alive.  _   
  
Lost in his thoughts and the steady hum of the engine, Neil’s eyes flashed open when it turned off, drowning the car in silence.   
  
He met Andrew’s calm gaze. “Where are we?”   
  
Unbuckling his seat belt, Andrew gave him a dry look. “See for yourself.”   
  
As Andrew locked the car and led the way to the sidewalk, Neil noticed there were no shops around. “Andrew, nothings here,” he stated rather obviously as he surveyed the area.   
  
Andrew stepped closer and Neil felt a little steadier as a warm hand was placed on his neck. Lightly squeezing, Andrew said, “Clearly. There’s a diner just a block over though.”   
  
Andrew let go and started towards the diner but Neil remained frozen in place. He wasn’t in the mood right now, to sit at some diner with gossipy strangers gazing at his face; intrusive memories of a time when it was only him and his mother, cheap hair dye, uncomfortable contacts and a stern hand ready to drag him away him at the slightest turn.   
  
“Neil.”                                   
  
Andrew was staring, waiting for him. So all Neil could do was hurry to catch up.   
  
The walk to the diner barely took three minutes and with the warmth of Andrew’s hand knocking into his, their shoulders bumping as they walked, it made Neil feel just a little more grounded than before.

*

Sparkling lights surrounded the diner’s welcoming sign, illuminating  _ ‘Dill’s Diner’ _ in bright green, red and yellow. Neil thought it was an eyesore. “Didn’t Christmas end two months ago?”   
  
Andrew spared him a glance. “Some people like to pretend they’re happy for a little longer,” he said, before he opened the door for Neil to walk through.

Neil felt a pang run through him by Andrew’s comment but he raised his eyebrows and gestured towards the opened door. “Chivalrous,” he teased and laughed when Andrew swatted his arm before moving past him towards an empty booth.

Neil decided to sit opposite Andrew and it wasn’t because he didn’t want to be near him. If he was being honest, he loved watching Andrew. There was something about when he looked at him that made Neil’s chest do somersaults. A feeling no other person has ever made him feel before. They’d been together a little over a year and Andrew still had the ability to make him feel like he did when all this was still fresh between them.   
  
A greasy menu was suddenly shoved up in his face. Neil slapped it away with a grimace, he could feel something slimy running down his cheek.    
  
Neil scowled. “Really, Andrew?”   
  
Andrew met his eyes with a neutral expression. “You should order something instead of staring at me.”   
  
Neil’s lips curled up slightly, it didn’t even cross his mind to deny Andrew’s accusation. “Touché,” he said, before adding nonchalantly, “It’s too bad, I like to look at you.”   
  
“Junkie,” Andrew scoffed.   
  
Feeling bold, Neil replied sweetly, “Only for you,” and tried his best not to laugh at Andrew’s face before a new voice broke through their bubble.    
  
“Aw it is always so sweet to the core to see young love walk through these doors! Tellin yah it’s been 15 years of me workin here but I still feel – oh my dear! What happened to your face?!”

Neil hung his head as he suddenly became aware of all the eyes on them. On him.    
  
“Could we order, please,” Andrew asked coldly.     
  
The elderly waitress turned to gape at Andrew, perhaps she was shocked at his audacity, but when she opened her mouth to continue, she abruptly stopped when she saw all the attention that was focused on them.   
  
“Ya’ll go back to eatin! Nothin to see here!” she announced, loud voice clear and firm. She offered Neil an apologetic look that didn't make him feel any more at ease.   
  
“ _ Hon... _ I’m,” she stopped and cleared her throat. “I’m real sorry bout that lad, forgive me, just took me by surprise… Ain’t everyday a fella lookin like you comin in a place like here.”   
  
Fetching out her notepad, she offered, “Let me get you both something on the house, what’ll it be?”   
  
Neil lifted his head to look at the waitress and watched as her eyes clouded with pity and then anger as she took in the burn and the myriad of scars littered across his face. “No, we’ll pay, thank you.”   
  
The waitress, Annette (as her name tag told  Neil when he glanced down) looked as if she was about to argue with him before she clearly held her tongue and nodded in acceptance.   
  
Andrew barely glanced at the menu before handing it back. “I’ll have the pancakes with double fudge, a caramel syrup and a chocolate milkshake.”   
  
Neil felt a roll of nausea swirl in his belly as Andrew listed off his order and was just a little late to realize the two sets of eyes turned his way.   
  
Neil fumbled with his menu as he brought it up to quickly scan the front page and just as quickly decided he didn't want anything.

“Uh, I’ll just get water and fries. Thanks.”

Annette nodded as she wrote it down in her mini notepad. “Small or up-sized?”   
  
Neil was about to say small, he wasn't planning on eating them in the first place but then he thought better of it and glanced over at Andrew and told her to make it an up-sized.   
  
As Annette tucked her notepad back into her apron pocket, Neil felt his chest loosen at the thought of her leaving.    
  
As if hearing Neil’s thoughts, she stopped just as she turned to leave and Neil blinked up at her warily.   
  
She glanced around before focusing on Neil, bringing herself much too close, to the point where Neil didn't much care if she'd get offended if he decided to lean away. Still, he kept himself frozen. 

Annette said, “I hope whoever did that damage to your poor face is rotting somewhere deep down.”

Neil would like to say that people didn’t surprise him anymore. After all, he’s seen so many sides of humanity in his twisted life; but empathy, empathy from strangers was something that Neil still had trouble grasping. So he just nodded in acknowledgment and looked towards Andrew, ending the moment. Annette evidently took the hint as she scurried off to the kitchens to place their rather sweet order.   
  
“Didn’t like her?” Andrew asked.   
  
Neil exhaled tiredly. “It’s not – I don’t, not like her,” he stressed as he carded his hand messily through his hair. “You know how I get with strangers and – and – getting into my…  _ business. _ ”   
  
Andrew stared at him for a moment before he responded, “You and your issues.”   
  
Neil laughed and fired back, “What about yours?”   
  
Folding his hands in front of him on the table, Andrew leaned forward. “What? My issues?”   
  
Copying Andrew, Neil also leaned forward and playfully continued, “No, although we’re not denying the existence of those – I’m talking about the waitress.”   
  
“Yes. She reminds me of... someone,” Andrew finished vaguely.   
  
“Oh.” Neil replied, at a loss. He wouldn't lie and say that he  _ didn't  _ want to know, that he wasn't interested in all the extra bits of Andrew’s life that was still locked and hidden in that brain of his - but this was Andrew. If Andrew wanted to tell him then he would. But until then, Neil would wait.

As it turned out, Neil didn't have to wait that long at all. 

Just as Andrew opened his mouth to continue, Annette the waitress appeared again, but this time with their orders. “One water with fries and one milkshake with syrupy pancakes!”   
  
Nodding their thanks, they watch her leave before starting to eat.   
  
Neil popped a fry into his mouth as he studied Andrew. He only hoped that Andrew would decide to finish what he was going to tell him before they got interrupted. 

Although, Neil is starting to feel like this is a date, like Dan and Matt’s date-dates and not the usual Andrew and Neil just going out for burgers and ice-cream, or discovering the new Asian Cuisine restaurant that just opened up near the house in Columbia.

Neil smiled at the thought of expressing his thoughts to Andrew, imagining the pained expression and the subsequent, " _ You're spending too much time with them.” _

Neil snapped out of his head as soon as he felt liquid once again pool down his cheek. Luckily he at least knew what it actually came from this time around.

He locked eyes with the source of his troubles sitting right opposite him, licking the end of his straw as he looked intensely at Neil. Andrew then flicked his staw, spraying Neil with particles of his chocolate milkshake. “Stop smiling at me.”

Mouth ajar, Neil laughed, tension leeching out of him at Andrew’s antics. “Oh my God, Andrew.” In response, Andrew didn't take his eyes off him as he placed his mouth back over the straw to noisily slurp down the rest of his milkshake.     
  
“What a child,” Neil teased.   
  
“Takes one to know one,” Andrew sent back without delay, ignoring Neil’s dramatic eye roll.   
  
Despite their rocky start at  _ Dill’s Diner, _ Neil now felt like he was on cloud nine. He could never properly explain to anyone the reason why being with Andrew made him happy. 

How do you explain the parts of someone that only you’re privy to, the parts you get to unlock with your presence and the parts of yourself you exchange in return? Being with Andrew, it wasn’t all rough and doom and gloom like everyone always assumed. Neil never thought he’d get to have something like this, he never in his life even entertained the idea that something like this could happen to him. Being with Andrew, as tough as it sometimes could be, and bear in mind that Neil didn't hold any false pretenses about his own baggage either.

Neil wouldn’t trade it for the world.   
  
“Why’d you bring me here?” Neil asked curiously.    
  
Not looking up from his pancakes, Andrew said, “You needed a break.”   
  
It never failed to amaze Neil with how well Andrew knew him. He wondered if Andrew realized yet that it was the same for Neil.   
  
Neil stared at Andrew’s hands for a long moment as he watched him divide his pancakes into small, even pieces.

“Thank you,” Neil murmured, before he offered Andrew his remaining, untouched fries.

He didn't know what came over him, but as he watched Andrew pull the bowl of fries towards himself, Neil ended up blurting out, “This is… considered a date, right?”   
  
There was an intensity to Andrew’s stare that made Neil’s heart beat just a little faster.   
  
Not really the reaction Neil expected, but okay.    
  
Andrew suddenly looked down and Neil followed his hands picking up a stray fry and dragging it through the remaining caramel syrup – which Neil thought was absolutely disgusting – and popped it into his mouth before he lifted his eyes to Neil’s.   
  
There was no sign of emotion in his voice to let Neil know what he was truly thinking as he spoke but Neil thought this seemed to be going quite well. “If you want it to be.”   
  
Feeling a bit awkward now, Neil pursed his lips in thought. “Well, I mean – I’ve never been on one  _ before _ … An actual…  _ date _ .”   
  
As though they were playing their never ending truth game, Andrew offered up his own.   
  
“When I was a kid… I used to go to a diner after school when I didn’t want to go home. There wasn’t much food to feed all of us at the Jepson’s and I had some spare cash to feed myself with sometimes. I was eleven, and I remember this waitress. She was old and had this purple necklace around her neck which she said her granddaughter had made for her. I went at least twice a week for a few months before I was sent to Cass.”   
  
_ She reminds me of someone. _   
  
Neil swallowed the lump in his throat and noticed how Andrew held himself stiff against the leather seat of the booth. His voice sounded indifferent as he recounted his past, as if it was nothing; but Neil knew how difficult it was sometimes, to not ache at least a little bit from the reminder.   
  
“Yes or No?”   
  
Andrew regarded him silently.   
  
Eventually, “Yes.”   
  
Neil reached out with his hand palm up, inches away from Andrew’s and Andrew allowed him to grasp it for a few seconds before he squeezed back and then detached their hands.   
  
Not one for prolonged sentimentality, Andrew looked pointedly at their food. “You done?”   
  
Nodding, Neil reached his hand inside his pocket to take out his wallet but Andrew was quicker and dropped the money plus a generous tip on top of a stray napkin.   
  
Feeling warm, Neil started, “So does that make –“ before Andrew cut him off with a hand to his mouth, hushing him with a roll of his eyes. Neil smiled against Andrew’s palm, eyes glinting with mirth. Andrew removed his hand before Neil ended up doing something stupid, like lick it.   
  
As they stood to leave, Annette the waitress stopped them with a hand to her chest before she directed her attention towards Andrew.    
  
“Now I hope you and your boyfriend come back here sometime for another bite to eat!  Feed him well when you’re away,” she insisted, tsking as she walked away and added, “He's far too skinny don't yah think?”

Unable to remove the stupid grin he could feel growing on his face, Neil turned to Andrew.

“Come on then boyfriend, time to go.”   
  
Andrew let him. With only a little fuss.

*   


But don’t think that they didn’t make out heavily in the maserati afterwards, Neil pressed up against the window, legs either side of Andrew’s hips in an uncomfortable position that Neil would regret come Exy practice tomorrow.

Because they did.   
  


**Author's Note:**

> anyways just fyi i had the pressing need to edit this so i haven't actually slept yet so if there any mistakes... blame the incredible early hour! hopefully i caught everything haha.
> 
> hope you liked it! leave me a comment for any prompts if you'd like tbh, i need some inspiration! i'm enjoying getting back into this fandom and getting my writing mojo back!
> 
> my twitter is @gayvildelien


End file.
